Orienting information presented to users located at different sides of a display surface

Abstract

Information is oriented when presented to a user on a display surface, so that the information can be readily read and / or used by the user. The information is displayed on a generally horizontal display surface to users who may be located at different positions around the display surface. A different totem is associated with each user. The identity and position of each totem on the display surface is determined in response to a detected characteristic of the totem, such as a pattern of infrared light reflected from the totem. Either the location of a user's totem relative to a center of the display surface, or a quadrant of the display surface near where the user is located, or an orientation of the user's totem on the display surface can determine the orientation and location of the information presented to the user on the display surface.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention generally pertains to a method and system for controlling an orientation of information displayed to one or more users, and more specifically for controlling the orientation of information presented to users who may be located at different sides of a generally horizontal display surface. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Personal computers were designed for interactive use primarily by only one person at a time. Accordingly, a typical personal computer has but one monitor, a single user pointing device such as a mouse, and one keyboard. Although some games enable multiple input devices to be employed by two or more user in playing on a single personal computer, a typical multi-player game is played on a game computing device that is specifically designed for multiple players, or over a network, with each player using a different personal computer or gaming computing device. Interactions between multiple personal computer users running th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] To address the issues discussed above, the present invention automatically determines the orientation of information intended for a specific user, such as text or graphic images and other forms of graphic user interface materials, when the information us presented on a display surface. The orientation is determined so that the user can readily perceive the information in a substantially right-side-up mode, rather than inverted, since the user may be at any point around a generally horizontal display surface on which the information is presented. When software applications are executed that may involve multiple users who are distributed around the generally horizontal display surface, the present invention is able to determine how information intended for a specific user interacting with the software application should be appropriately oriented on the display surface to accomplish this goal.

[0007] More specifically, the present invention is directed to a method for determining the orientation of information presented on such a display surface, wherein the information can be selectively oriented to face toward different sides of the display surface. The method includes the step of determining a location relative to the display surface, of a user for whom the information is to be presented. Then, the information the information is oriented when presented on the display surface, so that the information faces toward the location of the user and is thus readily viewable and perceivable by the user at the location thus determined.

Problems solved by technology

One of the most significant issues in providing a multi-user computing platform is ensuring that the display can readily be viewed by all of the users.

Although a conventional large monitor or television screen might do for viewing graphic images, or text that is enlarged, smaller graphic icons and smaller font text will not readily be visible to a plurality of users who must be several feet away from the monitor or screen.

Without means of identifying the location of each user, an application simply can not display information specifically for an intended user that is properly oriented to be viewed by that user, if the users are located at different positions around the horizontal display.

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